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The article discusses peculiarities of Japan's car market that pose challenges to both domestic and foreign car producers. A significant fraction of vehicles sold in Japan are small, fuel-efficient minicars made by Japanese firms such as Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. exclusively for the Japanese market. Foreign makers see little economic benefit competing in that market, while some fear catering too much to it puts Japanese automobile manufacturers at risk in markets abroad.

The article discusses opposition in Japan to scented fabric softeners that was inflamed by a 2013 suggestion from the nation's environment ministry that women who work in offices use such products to combat body odor. Yuko Ozawa, who heads the activist group Society Demanding Fragrance Restraint, says fragrances are similar to pollution.

The article looks at economic policy and economic conditions in Japan as of May 2013, focusing on policies that have lowered the foreign exchange value of the yen currency. It notes Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has promoted monetary policies aimed at reversing the country's economic stagnation. It discusses the benefits of reducing the yen's value, including promoting exports and combating deflation.

The article discusses policy initiatives announced by the Bank of Japan on April 4, 2013 aimed at stimulating Japan's economy. The Bank disclosed its intention to double both the quantity of yen in circulation, and its holdings of Japanese government securities. Commentary is presented on how the Bank's moves resemble those of the U.S. Federal Reserve, but not the European Central Bank. INSET: Money Pumpers.

The article discusses Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda's forthcoming attempt to reverse deflation in Japan and revive the nation's economy with an aggressive monetary policy that will include buying large quantities of government bonds. Commentary is presented about the economic challenges facing Kuroda and the risks of his strategy, which has been championed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The article considers who might become the next head of the Bank of Japan (BoJ) if, as expected, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appoints a replacement for BoJ Governor Masaaki Shirakawa in late February, 2012. Abe is not satisfied with steps Shirakawa has taken to revive Japan's economy. Among contenders to replace Shirakawa are former BoJ Deputy Governor Toshiro Muto and Haruhiko Kuroda, a former official in Japan's Finance Ministry. INSET: Monetary Shake-Up.

The article discusses the growing share of international financing provided by Japanese banks. Figures from the Bank of International Settlements show Japan's share of global lending has risen to about 10%. During 2012 Japanese banking company Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. was the leading provider of project financing in Europe.

The article examines how safety concerns over aircraft manufacturer Boeing Co.'s 787 Dreamliner jet have impacted Boeing's relationships with customers and suppliers in Japan. Battery fires aboard 787s have forced airlines All Nippon Airways Co. (ANA) and Japan Airlines Co. (JAL) to ground all of the jet's flights, leading to lenders pressuring the companies to reassess their reliance on Boeing. Information is also provided on the growing popularity of Boeing's competitor Airbus in Japan.

The article explores a Japanese movement to decrease electricity usage by forgoing electric devices. Topics include a profile of married couple Megumi and Makoto Arakida, who have reduced their electric bill to less than thirteen American dollars per month, a history of the Ampere Down movement, which protests high energy consumption in Japan, and how decreasing the capacity of circuit breakers has forced Japanese households to reconsider electricity usage.

The article discusses a report by the investment company Daiwa Securities Group Inc. regarding a government investigation of possible insider trading in relation to an offering of shares in the glassmaker Nippon Sheet Glass Co. The Japanese government is said to be probing allegations that some of Daiwa's customers were notified of the share offering before the public announcement of the offering.

The article examines the reasons for stricter government enforcement of insider-trading policies in Japan. Topics include an investigation into Japanese stock brokers Nomura Holdings and Daiwa Securities Group's insider trading practices, why most Japanese insider trades are committed by lower-level employees rather than executives, and a case study of stock corruption at investment advising firm Japan Advisory.

The article looks at Japanese-based investment bank Nomura Holdings Inc. as of July 2012. It reports that two senior executives, Kenichi Watanabe and Takumi Shibata, have resigned due to an insider-trading scandal. It says that the company has performed below expectations since its 2008 acquisition of certain divisions of U.S.-based investment bank Lehman Bros. It reports that Koji Nagai has been appointed to the chief executive officer (CEO) position.

The article discusses strong demand among foreign investors for Japanese government securities. Investors regard Japanese securities as relatively safe, and their purchases have helped push down the yield on 10-year bonds to 0.735%, and caused the Japanese yen to rise against the euro and the U.S. dollar. Declining yields on other sovereign debt have also made Japan's relatively more attractive.

The article discusses results of an investigative report into Japanese camera maker Olympus Corp. Over a 25-year period senior executives were found to have hidden from public view $1.5 billion in investment losses. Former executives Hisashi Mori and Hideo Yamada were among those aware of the losses and subsequent efforts to hide them.

The article discusses developments in an accounting scandal at Japanese camera maker Olympus Corp., in which the firm admits it used acquisitions to conceal losses on investments incurred during the 1990s. Olympus' stock price has fallen 70% since controversy over the acquisitions emerged. Some analysts fear there could be additional writedowns and disclosures of wrongdoing by the company.

The article reports that Japanese camera maker Olympus Corp. admitted it used a series of acquisitions to conceal losses it incurred on investments dating back to the 1990s. Olympus said it was firing vice president Hisashi Mori, and that corporate auditor Hideo Yamada was considering resigning. Olympus is being investigated by both the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

The article discusses corporate governance at Japanese camera maker Olympus Corp. One of the firm's former directors, Nobel-Prize-winning economist Robert Mundell, had lecture trips to Japan sponsored by advisory firm Axes America LLC during a period when Axes was advising Olympus on several acquisitions that have become controversial. Axes received nearly $700 million in payment for its services to Olympus.

The article discusses uncertainty within smartphone manufacturer Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM) regarding the creation and marketing of its PlayBook tablet computer. RIM co-chief executive Mike Lazaridis wanted the PlayBook designed for corporate customers, while others at RIM thought it should be aimed more at consumers. Since its release, the Playbook has fared poorly against rivals such as the iPad tablet from Apple Inc.

The article discusses efforts by Canadian banking company Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) to expand its presence in the U.S. Through several acquisitions TD's retail-banking business has become the tenth-largest in the U.S. On August 15, 2011 TD announced it would buy credit-card issuer MBNA Canada from U.S. rival Bank of America Corp.

The article discusses the impact on Japan's food chain of radiation released from a March, 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Inspections of cattle and other foodstuffs have not been sufficient to prevent radioactive beef and produce from reaching consumers. Not all cattle farmers obeyed government guidelines about feeding cattle straw that may have been exposed to radiation.

The article discusses investor pessimism about smartphone maker Research in Motion Ltd. Shares in the company fell over 20% in the aftermath of a reduced earnings forecast by the company and amid doubts that the company can compete successfully against rival devices such as the iPhone smartphone from Apple Inc. and phones that run the Android operating system from Google Inc.

The article discusses the emergency response of Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) to damage at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant caused by a March, 2011 earthquake. TEPCO officials allowed pressure in one of its nuclear reactors to rise far above its designed tolerances before beginning to vent radioactive steam. The delay may have contributed to a subsequent explosion that released radioactive debris into the air.

The article discusses the emergency preparedness of energy company Tokyo Electric Power Co. for its Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which was severely damaged by an earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March, 2011. Tokyo Electric's plans called for just a single stretcher and 50 protective suits, and did not anticipate a problem as big as the March disaster.

The article reports that mining firm BHP Billiton's $38.6 billion proposal to buy potash producer Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan was provisionally denied by Canada's Industry Minister, Tony Clement, who said the deal did not meet the standard of creating a "net benefit" for Canada. BHP will have 30 days in which to revise its offer.

The article discusses a report commissioned by the Canadian province of Saskatchewan on the economic impact of a buyout of potash supplier Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan. The report says a buyout would reduce local revenues in the near term, but indicated the province would be better off if Potash Corp. were bought by mining firm BHP Billiton rather than a Chinese state-owned company such as Sinochem Corp.

The article examines the proposed takeover of Potash Corp. by mineral industry firm BHP Billiton. The role of Canpotex Ltd., a cartel of Canadian potash exporters, in the merger is considered. Canpotex handles potash sales from Saskatchewan, the source of over half of the world's supply. The effects of the acquisition on Saskatchewan's economy may determine if Canada's national government approves any acquisition of Potash Corp.

The article reports that a group of international investors led by Chinese private-equity fund Hopu Investment Management Co. might make a bid for potash producer Potash Corp of Saskatchewan Co. Potash previously rejected as inadequate a $38.6 billion offer from mining company BHP Billiton Ltd., and has sought a higher bid elsewhere.

The article discusses ambivalence on the part of residents of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan regarding mining firm BHP Billiton's hostile, $40 billion takeover offer for potash supplier Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan. While some residents believe a merger could attract more investment to the area, others are concerned about the impact of a major Canadian company coming under foreign control.

The article discusses commentary from smartphone maker Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM) chief executive Michael Lazaridis concerning efforts by Saudi Arabia and other nations to ban service for RIM's BlackBerry smartphones due to the robust encryption technology they use. Lazaridis said his firm was being unfairly treated because all Internet communication is similarly encrypted. He expressed hope that a resolution to the matter could be negotiated with Saudi and other government authorities.

The article discusses aircraft maker Bombardier Inc.'s entry into the market for midsized jets capable of international flights, a market dominated by rival firms Boeing Co. and Airbus. Bombardier has 90 firm commitments for purchases by airlines including Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Republic Airways Holdings Inc., as well as several dozen potential orders.

The article reports that Barrick Gold Corp. has been aggressively removing its hedges against a fall in the price of gold. Contracts to sell a portion of future production at set prices have prevented Barrick from more fully benefiting from rising gold prices. Barrick has been retiring these contracts by purchasing gold on the open market.

The article discusses Magna International Inc.'s successful participation in a consortium that reached agreement to buy 55% of General Motors Corp.'s Opel operations. Magna chief executive Frank Stronach has long desired to expand into automobile manufacturing. He indicated that a strict separation would exist between Magna's automobile parts and automobile manufacturing businesses.

The article discusses dissatisfaction among laid-off workers in the U.S. with employer-supplied outplacement services. Complaints include generic job-hunting advice, and poor-quality counseling and resume preparation. Amid an economic recession in the U.S. demand for outplacement services has jumped. Right Management saw a 36% increase in quarterly revenue.

The article reports that activist investors seeking seats on the board of directors of U.S. corporations are finding surprisingly little resistance from company management. Hedge funds and other investors seeking management policy changes once had to anticipate proxy fights. Corporations have come to see such battles as too costly to pursue, and often self-defeating.

The article discusses factors that could make Microsoft Corp.'s proposed acquisition of Yahoo! a successful one. Both firms have technology that enables other companies to purchase online advertisements, and crucial to a successful merger would be integrating the two platforms as quickly as possible.

The article focuses on creative measures which U.S. corporations, including Corrpro Cos. Inc., are using in 2007 to hire educated foreign employees who are unable to get visas to come to the United States due to a U.S. immigration policy which only allows 65,000 visas to be granted yearly to skilled foreign workers with college degrees.

The article reports on alliance that has been formed between five individuals in an effort to prompt boards of directors at corporations to scrutinize and control pay packages of executives. Lawyer Jesse Brill, Harvard Law School professor Lucian Bebchuk, Connecticut state official Meredith Miller, union official Edward Durkin, and John A Hill of Putnam Investments have joined together in an effort to limit excessive executive pay for executives whose performance does not warrant it.

The article focuses on the difficulties encountered by and adaptation methods which are used by U.S. employees who work for companies based in foreign countries such as Japan or South Korea. The difficulties center around cultural differences including the existence of bosses who are rarely seen by employees A discussion of the successful adaptation techniques which were used by several employees including Ray O'Connor, who was hired by the U.S. unit of Japan's Topcon Corp. and Howard Stringer who was hired by the Sony Corp. is presented.

The article presents a feature about Howard Stringer, chief executive officer of Sony Corporation. Stringer took over Sony's management in 2005 and has returned higher than expected revenue for every quarter in 2006. He still faces constant criticism from the Japanese press about the way he organizes his time.

The article reports on the problems caused by "clawbacks," attempts by boards of directors to retrieve cash offered in bonuses for results that are not delivered. FPL Group Inc. spent three years in a fight over the dispersal of clawbacks after a failed merger, which ended with the company regaining only $9 million from executives, the bulk of the funds came from insurance payouts.

This article discusses the growing numbers of business executives who are using evangelical Christianity to guide them in making daily business decisions. The workplace is becoming more diverse, but evangelical Christians are the most active. Christian business book titles such as "Jesus, CEO" and "Joy at Work" are now appearing on business best-seller lists. Christian colleges and universities that advertise about business success using Christian values have seen increasing enrollments.

The article reports on joint executive coaching sessions which are being used by executives in many companies to settle personal differences. The article focuses on CEO Jim Clark and COO Thomas Fumarelli of WaterMark Paddlesports, Inc., who used the coaching sessions to improve their business relationship and find solution to miscommunication problems. The article notes that the sessions function in the same way as marriage counseling sessions.

The article discusses how to fire executives in a family-owned business. Family-involved firms are more likely to keep underperforming executives in their jobs for longer, sometimes stalling a critical change to the detriment of the company. Family-owned companies can be under increased scrutiny as investors wonder if downturns are due to the incompetent management of an heir.

The article discusses executive coaching, a $1 billion business in the United States that has served executives like Jeffrey Immelt of General Electric Co. and Margaret Whitman of eBay Inc. Executive coaches work to coax the type of determined overachiever that typically runs a company into developing people skills like anger management and empathy.

The article discusses Verizon Communications Inc. and its payment of executives, specifically chief executive officer Ivan Seidenberg. In 2005 Verizon offered Seidenberg a stock incentive package which would have increased his compensation by 50% compared to 2004. However, parts of that package have been canceled due to concerns regarding stockholders' reactions considering Verizon's falling stock price in the last year.

The article reports that Japanese executives increasingly have formal business training and MBAs. In the past, companies in Japan valued loyalty and promoted from within their ranks--if an executive wanted training, he had to do it himself. Sanyo Electronics and Toshiba Corp. both have new executives from outside the company. Japanese business is coming out of a decade-long economic slump and is eager to modernize its practices.

The article discusses the relationship between Sony Corp.'s engineer Hiroshi Murayama and rival Samsung Electronics Co.'s engineer Jang Insik. Although the two companies are rivals, they have come to depend on each other. The relationship between the two engineers, who phone each other several times a day to discuss how to make better flat-panel TVs, symbolizes the extent to which this is the case. Although competition is fierce, the two companies need each other as the cost of making key parts soars and the pace of development gets faster. The trend is happening with other Asian electronics makers.

Discusses Ford Motor Co.'s plan for producing gas-electric hybrid vehicles. Indication that the U.S. automaker will put hybrid systems in half of its car models, according to Chairman William Clay Ford Jr.; Concern about Japan's advantage with products in the alternative-power technologies; Competition from Toyota Motor Corp. with its Prius compact car; Other Toyota models that will have hybrid systems.

Reports on Howard Stringer, Sony Corp.'s new chief executive officer, and his task of turning around Sony's struggling electronics business, where flagging profits and morale prompted Sony's former chief executive, Nobuyuki Idei, to step down; Comments from Stringer on how he feels about being a foreigner in his Tokyo, Japan office; Suggestion that some Sony managers think that Stringer being a relative outsider will help him make some tough decisions such as laying off colleagues or cutting long-cherished product lines.

Reports that electronics company Sony Corporation is rebranding its line of liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions in an advertisement campaign. Report that the LCDs will be renamed Bravia; Plans of Sony to promote its high-definition television models; Desire of Sony to turnaround its television business; Failure of Sony to invest in flat-panel technology for televisions early enough.